Amarant and Raist
by RavenWolfy
Summary: Challenged with taking on the gods themselves, Amarant stands the sole hope for the Realms.


_I owe this whole thing to my best friend. For without him, these characters could never have taken their own shape or form. May you get your book published Amarant. ) Now please enjoy this battle because he's pulling out many that will top this one. I only take credit for Mircov. May he become my filler character when all other names fail me. _

**Amarant and Raist**

Amarant didn't have the energy to stand any longer. Why did Raist still stand completely undaunted. Raist had beaten him within an inch of his life, but for all Amarant's efforts, his opponent showed no sign of weakness. Audrienna was wrong. This battle was impossible after all. How much more of this could his body take?

As the thought crossed his mind, Raist's body flickered. Amarant braced himself for another attack. His eyes widened as he watched his enemy's next move in utter disbelief. Raist was lowering himself to one of the few remaining slabs of ground near them; most likely the remains of a planet the two had simply bashed each other through during the battle.

It has to be a trap, Amarant thought to himself. Surely the other Immortal was not consenting defeat.

Yet there it was; Raist's power level was decreasing. Amarant followed Raist to the patch of uneven earth. An hour ago, he would have struck his opponent. Unfortunately, Amarant could barely move himself, much less launch an attack he was sure could be blocked. Still...

Before Amarant's eyes, Raist transformed. This time, however, Raist was losing power, not gaining it. Amarant heard bones crack and snap, watched Raist twitch and wince in pain, wings pulling themselves back inside the Immortal's body. Raist's eyes lost their glow, claws retracted to hands, his chest actually heaving in exhaustion.

Amarant took a step forward. Now was the time to strike. Raist's body stumbled. It was more weakness than he had ever shown.

Amarant forced his body to run at Raist, sword of Balance in hand. It may not have been the smartest of moves, but his body could not handle another attack, even at this heightened state.

The ground broke away beneath his feet. He launched himself at Raist with all he had in him. If he could stumble, than he could fall. He slammed into Raist, taking both of them off the edge of the rock they had been standing on. They went careening into empty space. One of the few remaining planets in the Realm was shattered as the two slammed into the surface, and kept going.

Raist had the will to survive enough to take hold of Amarant and plunge his fist through the Sword holder's chest. At the same time, Amarant mirrored the action, plunging the sword of Balance through Raist's chest.

Both Immortals froze there. Amarant tried to shut off the heat, pain, and numbing darkness now invading his body. his lungs collapsed as he watched Raist.

Raist's macabre smile died on his face as the realization that he had been stabbed began to dawn on him. It was his turn to experience the pain and then mind numbing cold darkness. His vision blurred as his soul was wrenched not only from his body, but split into pieces thanks to the effects of the Blade of Balance.

Amarant's brain was having trouble comprehending what he was seeing. Raist fell forward and hit the ground. The realization hit as Amarant felt his soul leave his body as well; an odd sensation he felt as peaceful.Not the gut wrenching fusing of his soul to another, as the blades Calziahnorvan and Ardenril kept him alive by feeding him their own sustenance. Had he truly died too many times during his battle with Raist that he had run out of souls?

The thought was somehow comforting; knowing he would move on. Yet it was not meant to be. Raist's soul attached itself to Amarant's allowing him another lifetime. Amarant's soul rid itself of the past lives, yet retained the knowledge of those lives. Amarant was flooded with all of Raist's ideals, emotions, and will to be a god. It was then Amarant realized he and Raist had been fighting for the same goal on opposite sides. A new world order of peace under one set god no one could oppose. Amarant agreed with the philosophy, but not the method of execution. Killing Raist had been a necessity, not just a desire.

Fused as he was to the one piece of Raist's soul, Amarant found himself unprepared for the other two pieces to rip through his body, searching for a soul to cling to. The painful reaction twisted and coiled itself into Amarant's center. Amarant's body was on overload. More energy gathered, tightening and threatening to choke the life from him.

In one last thought of self preservation, he blasted the remaining energy from his body outward. The two pieces of the soul as of yet attached were shot away from him and did not return.

Amarant felt the energies of the Realm flux with him. He felt his mind open up as the consciousness of the Realm made itself known to him. He was overwhelmed as his soul was taken higher and higher, reaching for it's limits. The moment he know he could take no more, Amarant's body emitted a white light. At first the blast simply expanded, filling all of the Realm. Amarant was aware of everything. The tiniest particle of energy to the only planet still inhabited. As time stood still, Amarant was given the knowledge and ability to control all of it. A calm peace settled over the Realm. Everything Amarant emitted was sucked back into him like a vacuum. He felt disconnected from the Realm itself. The world he had existed in until now had just become his toy to change and shape as he wished.

Amarant's thoughts were just starting to settle and reality was returning when he felt the odd vibrations in the very fabrics of the Realm. His first thought was Raist's soul returning. They had already destroyed everything. What more was there left to protect?

'Amarant'  
'Amarant'  
'Amarant.'

The voices of those still alive carried across the universe to him. Wings of hope that he had saved them. If only they knew his intentions were not quite so noble. Amarant agreed with Raist's philosophy: A unified Realm of peace. Raist simply carried it out wrong. If you kill everything, there is nothing left to worship you.

'Amarant look out'  
'Ziah?'

He barely had time to comprehend the thought before he was hit. The effect was not his body this time. A hand, arm and then body drove though the energies making him up. Tiny explosions went off all around him, tearing at his energy and forcing his chi to become something completely foreign.

Raist's soul flared to life inside him, repairing his body as fast as it was being torn apart. A minor flux in the space before him was the only warning. Amarant didn't have time for the action itself. He simply willed the Blade of Balance up and ready for whatever was attacking him.

Sure enough, the black-purple and silver-orange light of his blade connected to and fused with a deep red-black blade. The energies shared a similar path of focus for the briefest of moments, allowing Amarant a glimpse at his opponent. A male, taller than him by inches. His body was well toned, the hard planes of his face matching the ice cold black of his eyes. Amarant pushed his blade forward, attempting to throw his opponent away from him. The assailant smiled, showing his white teeth, but remained unmoved.

A shudder ran through Amarant's arms as the other blade's energies ate away at the Blade of Balance.

"What do you want?!" Amarant screamed, forcing energy out of his body.

The newcomer was forced to jump back this time. He stayed suspended in space, his long midnight black hair coming up to cover his face and his hand. Hidden, energy gathered, blinking into existence as an unstable mass threatening the fabrics holding space and time together. A twitch of his hand, and the energy was shot towards Amarant who put up his own hand in defense.

The Holy energy of Ardenril flowed up his arm, reshaping and reforming outside his body as a stable mass of silver light. Amarant threw the newly formed ball at his attacker's colorless mass. They held there for a moment, shock waves threatening to destroy the remaining stars. Amarant's ball struggled for life. Dark energy flowed from the left side of his body where he held the Sword of Balance. In silent answer, Calziahnorvan pushed his own energy through the center of what Amarant was feeding the clash. The calm feed of Ardenril erupted into uncontrollable shudders and shock waves. One final thrust and Calziahnorvan's energy was winged across the expanse to help his mate.

The added power tilted the scales. Amarant's beam forced back his attacker's. The other male was forced to put up his arms in self defense. If anything was left standing after Raist, it was gone now. Nothingness erupted, leaving the area around them empty of anything save the two beings.

Amarant was trying to shut his mind to the possibility of the total destruction of his Realm. He was trying to focus on the battle in front of him.

"You have two!"

The exclamation drew his attention to his opponent as nothing else could.

"How is it you have two, when I, Mircov only have one?"

'Two what?' Amarant thought. He stayed silent. Mircov was lifting his blade. All other thoughts fled his mind now that he was going to defend himself.

"No matter."

The blade sparked to life, seething with red energies to mirror those flowing though Mircov. Amarant lifted his own Blade in answer; the calm energies of Ardenril twitching every time Calziahnorvan moved through the same area of the blade.

"I will simply rid you of both"  
'Blades! He's talking about the swords.'

Mircov rushed Amarant, slamming his blade against that of Balance over and over in a kind of mad rage. Amarant should have back peddled, but if he didn't stand and fight, who would? Unfortunately, standing his ground was proving easier said than done. Mircov was going for the hilt of the blade. Each time he struck close to the hilt, Amarant's entire being rattled. It was like Mircov was taking a piece of Amarant's soul with each swing.

Amarant caught the blade of his attacker and forced the other male away from him. Mircov all but roared and began swinging again, seemingly undaunted. This time, Amarant moved away from the massive red blur, catching it in the hilt of the Blade of Balance. He made to disarm his opponent, pulling Mircov in to give him control of the battle. Instead, his body felt like it was being ripped apart.

The action seemed to go in slow motion. Mircov was dragging the essence of Ardenril out of his body. Amarant was forced backwards, his mind being taken over by the dark energies of Calziahnorvan. He clung to Ardenril. His soul was stretching away from him. Ardenril was attached to his soul. She couldn't be removed. Amarant had tried. One would have to rip his soul apart, killing him, to do that.

Calziahnorvan flared to life. The darkness in him increased. In on moment, all that was holding him together as a balanced being was torn away as Ardenril was ripped from the essence of his soul.

Amarant felt as if he was not in his own body. Rather, he was watching from afar. He blinked at his own hand. All the holy energy in his body was negated by Calziahnorvan. the dark energy took over his body, his organs reshaping themselves, bones cracking, skin drawing tight over the bones. The six angel wings on his back shuddering, pulling inside his body and then back out again. Violent black purple sparks emitted from him, flaring out over the core of his being to consume his aura.

He felt his mind break. The peace and power he fought so hard to keep in check was slipping from his grasp. He was comprehending the area around him now. He breathed in slowly, the balance of his body thrown without the holy blade. Still, he was ready to get back the blade that belonged to him.

"How does it feel?" Mircov taunted. He was busy admiring his new reaver. the once peaceful silver-orange light of Ardenril was not mixing with the red-black of Mircov's own weapon.

"Now I send you back to where you belong."

Mircov rushed Amarant once more. He pushed forth the holy energy of Ardenril in attempt to unbalance Amarant.

"Not a chance!" Amarant screamed back. Throwing up both hands, he put up a shield against the other being. The energies of the universe answered his call. Stars were willed into being, followed by crude masses of rock all flowing to his direction. The newly created energies amassed between the two combatants in effort to push Mircov back.

Mircov's body was ripped apart, piece by piece, leaving only a mass of red, orange, black and silver, extending out into the double blades he had been holding. Mircov's red blade glowed brighter for a moment. The image of Mircov's body slowly reformed until he was standing in front of Amarant once more.

Amarant almost screamed his rage to the heavens. If he had run out of souls, this fight would not take long. Raist's soul piece could only keep him together for so long.

Mircov launched himself at Amarant again. Amarant met him, sending shock waves across the expanse. Again and again, the two warriors clashed blades. The repeated impact rocking the fabrics of the Realm.

Rifts began to open up. the scars in the universe pulling energy into themselves in attempt to compensate for what they had lost. Still, Amarant and Mircov battled on.

Amarant grabbed the edge of Ardenril. He supported the blade with it's opposite, having Calziahnorvan keep Ardenril from ripping into his skin. He shoved energy into the other man's chest, forcing him backwards. Mircov was forced to stay in place as Amarant had one of his blades.

Mircov's body rattled again, exploding into tiny fragments as Amarant unloaded everything he could into his opponent. Mircov's body was torn apart, piece by piece. Amarant was forced backward as a wave of light passed over him. Somehow, he kept a hold on Ardenril. White hot light spread out to cover Mircov's body in red once more. His body was brought, kicking and screaming, back into the physical plane once more.

Amarant was ready for the red blade that was immediately shoved into his side. Pain exploded before his eyes. The blade was tearing into his soul. Amarant released his hold on Ardenril, pushing Calziahnorvan into Mircov's chest.

Instead of evening out the effect of eating a soul, the process was magnified. Mircov, Raist, and Amarant's soul became part of an eternal flow. If he removed his blade now, he would be sucked into Mircov's.

'Ardenril'  
The sword flared to life at his thought, but it stayed where it was.

Amarant took hold of Ardenril once more. Moving his physical body was starting to become a chore. His soul very well may be taken by the blade if this kept up. Somehow he had to impale Mircov with Ardenril.

The two combatants stayed there, locked together in an immortal embrace, attempting to gain control of the third blade. Amarant had succeeded in control of Ardenril's energy. The blade still recognized him, that much was certain. Yet the blade would not return to his command unless Mircov relinquished his hold. Therefore, it came down to a battle of wills, lest they be stuck here for all eternity.

The rift they had opened up below them was starting to break down the universe around them. The overload of energy was starting to take it's toll. There was another flash of light. The contact point of Mircov's blade magnified. Without warning, massive amounts of dark energy shot between the two combatants, forcing them away from each other.

As they were torn away from Ardenril, the energy surrounding her clashed. Amarant felt his hand slip from the blade as he went flying backwards. The dizziness passed and Amarant looked up to see Ardenril suspended, exactly a he had left it. The rift had now surrounded the blade in dark energy. Even so, the blade was not in Mircov's hands.

Amarant took off across the expanse of space at top speed. If he had the energy to simply will himself beside the blade, he would have. Mircov was on his way opposite Amarant, moving just as fast. If Amarant gained the blade first, Mircov would remove it before he could use it, but he was not willing to risk the alternative.

Upon mental command, Calziahnorvan flared to life once more. Through him, the dark energies surrounding Ardenril became a solid entity, cutting off all access to the blade. As the owner of the Champion Blade of the Dark, this posed little threat to Amarant. He would be permitted to pass through as he had no holy energy in his body.

To his horror, Mircov reached the mass first, lashing out at it with his blade. Red electrical sparks moved up and down the funnel like column. The funnel gave way in spots, but not long enough for Mircov to get inside.

Amarant headed straight for one of the tears in the funnel. Mircov was too busy creating them to use them. Red energy sparked, exploded, and tore open the darkness in front of him, allowing Amarant inside. An odd tingling sensation engulfed his body as he passed through the funnel to the center.

'Ardenril.'

At one time Amarant wanted to be rid of both blades. No longer. Losing that piece of his soul was not in his plans if he was to be god of the Realm. He definitely did not want it in the hands of his enemy. Best to keep the Blade of Light where it could never be used against him.

Amarant's hand closed over the blade. The familiar holy energies attached themselves to his soul.

Mircov was moving now. Obviously he had seen what happened and was out for blood again. A break in the funnel opened up. Instead of closing as it had been, was broken open with red lightning filled the inside of the dark mass. The energy ate away at Amarant's funnel until there was only tendrils of energy left. The lightning calmed, leaving Mircov standing just above the rift that had split them apart.


End file.
